Rhino poaching gang smashed
01 Aug 2005
A gang responsible for devastating Nepal's highly endangered rhino population has been caught with the help of WWF.
Eight rhino poachers, who were selling the animals' horns for massive sums have been arrested by police in the Himalayan country after a tip off to conservation officials.
WWF has been monitoring the activities of suspected rhino horn traders over the past few months and has been continuously supporting the anti-poaching operations of the Royal Chitwan National Park, as well as the wildlife trade monitoring activities of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
The arrests are a major breakthrough for police and conservationists, after poaching reduced Nepal's rhino population by more than 30 per cent in the last five years.
The kingpin of the gang was Pemba Lama Gurung, a major rhino horn trader. When he was arrested he had in his possession a rhino horn and currency worth US$6300 (A$8,300).
Callum Rankine, Head of Endangered Species for WWF-UK, said: "What was most alarming was the claim by the trader that in the past he had already sold 20 horns at US$4250-5700 (A$5595-7505)a piece.
"This remarkable result has come at the end of a long period of continuous investigation by WWF and the authorities.
"As so often happens in the work of conservation there is a substantial amount of background work done, but the rhinos should be safer now."
